Remembrance and Moving On
by mcarnality
Summary: Mako and Korra face the darkness of their shared past, but together they will find the light.


A deep blue crystallized in the subtle glow of the lighting that illuminated the secluded booth of the restaurant. A scorching gold raged with the passion that burned just below the surface, threatening the composure of public decency. Water and Fire, nature's opposites, blended together as one, comfortably in a gaze between them, a gaze that commanded full attention. Her hand closed the dividing space of the table, and the electricity she felt as his fingers twined with hers proved almost enough to make her forget where she was. The food remained untouched.

"I know where I want to go…where I need to go," Korra whispered almost to herself. Although she never elaborated on her intentions, Mako understood all too well. The Pro-bending Arena.

"Are you sure? We can stay at Air Temple Island…" His voiced echoed with uncertainty. "Too many memories haunt that place and I am not so sure we are ready to face them." Mako never wanted to relive what had happened at the Pro-bending Arena in the past, even though he could recall a few good times he had shared with Bolin and Korra.

Korra gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Mako. I am ready and I can handle this." Mako responded with a halfhearted grin, knowing deep down that it was _he_ who wasn't ready, that _he_ could not, _would not_, be able to handle the pain. He closed his eyes, already seeing glimpses of Korra crumpled on the floor at Amon's feet, and hesitantly nodded his assent.

In the expression that distorted the flawless features of his face, Korra caught sight of the torment Mako felt at the idea of returning to the Pro-bending Arena. An emptiness seemed to fill her as guilt flooded her form. She released his hand, stood slowly, and walked to the other end of the table where he sat, eyes lowered to the food no one wanted to eat. She reached for him and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her down into his lap. Korra placed her hand on his cheek, turning his head to face her. She could feel a wetness saturating the skin beneath her touch and wondered if tears had broken through Mako's cool demeanor.

The blue and gold locked together once again, as both Korra and Mako searched for something they could not say aloud. With indecisiveness, Korra shattered the silence. "I am sorry for the suggestion. I did not even think about how that would affect _you_. We can sleep at Air Temple Island, and on other night, I will return alone to the Pro-bending Arena because this is something I have to do."

"_Korra," General Iroh shook his head in disagreement, "this is not a mission you should be handling alone." _

"_She won't be. I'm going with you."_

"_You don't have to do that…" Korra quivered with sadness at the thought of Mako risking his life to be with her._

"_Yes, I do."_

Mako's arms tensed around Korra as he remembered their conversation. He never let himself think of what could have happened to her if had left for the Air Field with his brother. How Amon would have hurt her, tortured her with his Bloodbending…Mako choked. He had promised to be there for Korra whenever she needed him and he will be. For anything.

"No. I'm going with you. Tonight." He pulled her face to his in that instant as his mouth covered hers. She met his eagerness with her lips in a wordless thank you that he understood by the way she kissed him back. A blush appeared on her cheeks as heat flushed her skin, and her mouth moved to the rhythm of his lips. He broke away suddenly, thankful that they were hidden in the corner, and leaned his forehead on hers while gasping for breath. Mako kissed her temple gently at that moment and barely breathed the words, "I love you more than you know."

They stayed in their embrace for a while longer before Mako set the money on the table. In his arms, he held Korra as he stood up from the seat, not wanting to release her when he finally placed her on her feet. Leaving Narook's, they turned down an alley, heading into the darkness untouched by the illumination of the lamp posts on the distant streets.

Korra had left Naga sleeping on Air Temple Island; her polar bear dog deserved to rest and she and Mako were fully capable of making the journey on foot. The roads were strange and unfamiliar leading to the Pro-bending Arena for the stadium, usually ablaze with lights along the outside, lay engulfed in shadows, a mere silhouette against the dark blue almost black of the night sky.

* * *

The building slowly took form as Mako and Korra approached the entrance. Her fingers fell on the handle, grasping the brass as if the metal held her life, slightly shaking as she turned her wrist and swung the door open. A chill shivered up her spine when the trapped air escaped, blowing quickly by in its haste to flee what waited inside. No one visited anymore. No one walked the grand halls nor stood spectator in the stands. No one wanted to experience the past. The walls now only breathed hurtful memories of betrayal, manipulation, and torment. Korra stood inhaling them once again.

Together they made their way to the arena, where the Fire Ferrets once triumphed in Pro-bending matches. The silence crushed down upon them and footsteps echoed, reverberating back from the lofted glass ceiling like a boomerang.

Mako and Korra stood, backs to each other, gazing around the stadium. Korra's thoughts immediately returned to the sight of Tenzin and the children captured and in chains, prisoners to Amon, helpless to his plans for taking away the defining and unique characteristics of themselves. Mako's mind, however, wandered in a different direction. Grounded near the charged water, he remembered watching Korra propel herself in pursuit of Amon and his Equalists after the attack on the Championship Tournament, bending the water in a spiral around her waist that did not quite have the momentum to reach. He will never erase the vision of her falling, gravity pulling her down, while he could do nothing but stare at her body descending quickly through the air to an impending impact with the hard floor of the arena. Chief Beifong had saved her, but she fell once more, through the glass, as he again felt the torture of being powerless, unable to protect her.

The sound of stifled weeping drew Mako out of his agonizing memories. He turned to Korra for the first time since entering the Pro-bending Arena, but she still remained facing away from him. He swallowed his pain to help soothe hers, putting her needs before his own as he had often done with Bolin while growing up on the streets. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her arms wrapped around her chest, desperate to hold herself together, to hold onto the reality that she was safe, that Mako was there for her, that she was not alone. With determined fingers, he wiped away the salty water that stained her complexion and pulled her into the comforting circle of his arms.

"Shh, Korra," he cooed, massaging the tense muscles in her back and shoulders. She continued to sob into his chest at the recollection of what had almost happened right in front of her not too long ago, how she would have held herself responsible for the suffering inflicted upon Aang's family. Time elapsed slowly. Mako's clothes were dampened when Korra finally tilted her head up to meet his calm yet worried gaze.

"I'm b-better now. I thought that since I had already experienced this once before, I would be able to face the ghosts of the fears that still haunt me, but I didn't prepare myself to feel so defenseless…so broken."

"We can leave if you want," Mako responded, hoping she would accept his offer.

"No. I need this. I want to lay everything to rest tonight so I can move on." Her explanation hung heavily in the air. She unwound Mako's arms from her waist, keeping hold of his hand as she led him into the darkness.

"Let's go to the attic," Mako suggested from behind. Korra nodded, forgetting he could not see.

She lost track of where they were headed, unaware of which direction to go even in the daylight. Mako sharply inhaled as he realized in which hall they now found themselves. The glass was still jagged and a gust of wind howled between the panels of the window where Amon had crashed through.

The memories flooded back to him instantly, and Mako fell to his knees at Korra's feet, face buried in his hands. She tried to pry them away from his eyes, but his muscles were taut and unyielding to her grasp. Korra could hear muffled sobs that sounded distant even though he was physically close to her. Then his voice permeated the silence.

"This is too much. I cannot see that room again, where he…" His words trailed off as he choked on his own tears. His face was no longer hidden, yet Korra still failed to see his features. "When I go to sleep, I dream about you, Korra, but the dreams turn to nightmares. I see him hurting you, contorting your body with his Bloodbending. I hear your cries of pain as he tortures you from the inside. And then…" Mako swallowed, "I watch him touch you, grab your neck and take away everything you valued most about yourself, about being the Avatar all the while I struggle helplessly, unable to save you until it's too late."

Korra reached for him, blindly searching until her fingers encountered the rough fabric of the scarf draping around his shoulders. As if her touch were morphine for the emotional wounds too deep to be eased by healing, Mako desperately leaned into the contours of her stomach for support.

"When I think of what happened with you, I am reminded of what happened with my parents. I stood nearby, a weak eight-year-old boy, as my mother and father burned to death in front of my eyes and I could do absolutely nothing to protect them." Korra felt the warmth of his breath as he spoke. "I would not be able to handle losing someone else that I love…I feel so guilty…" His voice broke on the last word and a fresh torrent of tears soaked through his cool under fire demeanor.

Mako had been there for her, and it was her turn to do the same. Kneeling down beside him, she took his face in both of her hands. His eyes opened and misery had replaced the passion behind the scorching gold. Korra swallowed before she spoke. "You did everything you could and it was more than enough. Without you here with me, Amon would have had no reason to stop. _You _saved me, Mako. Nothing is your fault, remember that." She pressed her lips lightly against his and gave him a sly smile. "You were perfect, city boy."

For the first time that night, happiness touched Mako's expression. "We should get out of here. Still want to go to the attic?" With that, he placed his hands beneath Korra's legs and behind her back, scooping her into his arms as he walked toward the staircase leading to the upper floors.

* * *

Neither one of them had visited Mako and Bolin's old home since they had moved to the Sato Mansion and then to Air Temple Island. The loft was barren except for a few forgotten items, including a blanket that Mako spread across the floor in an attempt to create a make-shift bed. A fire burned in the hearth.

While he searched for anything to make the wood more comfortable, Korra walked toward the window overlooking the bay. "You have…had a great view of the water," she said, mesmerized by the scintillating beauty.

"That was one of the things Bolin and I loved most about this place. I remember after our first Pro-bending Match as a team," Mako continued, focus still on a worn box in the corner, "I sat on the edge of that windowsill, gazing at Air Temple Island where I knew you were staying with Tenzin and Pema. You made quite an impression on me that night." Korra blushed and laughed quietly to herself.

"I did not think you even cared about me for the longest time. You hid your emotions so well," she responded, turning yet again to the waves.

"Well, I was certainly not expecting to feel that way about you. And now here we are," Mako gestured between them, smiling as he bent down to fix the blankets he had found.

"Here we are," Korra repeated, the love in her voice evident.

The atmosphere in the room changed. As silence grew longer, electricity charged the air and both were aware of the feeling. But neither spoke.

A few minutes later, Mako's voice interrupted. "I hope this is alright…" he said looking up toward her, immediately distracted by the sight unfolding before his eyes. Facing away from him and looking out toward Air Temple Island, Korra slowly removed the powder blue shirt that clung tightly to her sculpted torso. She placed her hand on the knot that tied her wrappings, and with a delicate tug, the cloth unraveled, falling in a heap at her feet.

Mako stared hungrily at her bare back. Her dark skin. The ripple of her muscles as she turned to pull one of his old shirts over her head. He did not even realize he had moved until his fingers covered hers, tossing the clothing aside. Discarded and forgotten in the corner. His mouth was on her then, kissing her neck and shoulder.

Korra tilted her head to the side, leaving more room for his lips, as a moan escaped her own. "Mako…" she sighed, pleasure incapacitating her body. She could feel his hands on her waist, grazing lightly over the plains of her stomach. Closing her eyes, she succumbed to the pressure of him exploring her with his tongue. And then she gasped.

Mako had found her breasts, teasing her nipples with his teeth before sucking on the sensitive skin at the peaks. Korra was overwhelmed with pure ecstasy at the intimate way he touched her, and a wetness pooled between her legs. "This. Isn't. Fair," she managed to exhale while trying to catch her breath.

"How so?" he laughed against her chest.

"You have on far too many clothes," she pouted, twisting her lips in the adorable way that made Mako's heart melt.

Before Mako knew what was happening, Korra began removing his father's scarf from around his neck and the belt from around his waist. He decided to help her out, and within minutes, they had succeeded in undressing him, leaving the Firebender in just a white undershirt and dark slacks. Still unsatisfied, Korra slid her fingers underneath the fabric covering his smooth yet chiseled chest and with a deft movement, had it thrown across the attic.

Heart beating fast and breathing heavy, Mako crushed her flush against him. The rubbing of her breasts made him moan into her mouth and she drank in his sounds with one swallow.

Heat and sweat radiated off their bodies pressed eagerly against each other. Korra could feel something hard near the inside of the thigh and she noticed the tent in Mako's pants. The sight of his erection sent shivers up her spine as she bit down on his bottom lip. His arms were locked behind her back; her hands were tangled in his hair. Pushing her lips desperately against his, she deepened the kiss; their tongues coming together in a fight for dominance.

Neither one of them had ever gone this far, but then again, neither one of them had ever been in love before. The passion and emotion they felt at that moment was almost too much to bare.

"I know what I want, Mako…what I need," Korra whispered in his ear.

Mako trailed his nose along the line of her jaw. "And what is that?"

She took a minute to compose herself before answering him. "You." The word seemed to stay suspended in the air. Mako froze, immediately stopping his decent along her body to look deep into her eyes.

"Are-are you sure? I don't want to take advantage of you." His voice was considerate, but held a hint of desire.

Her fingertips brushed his cheeks. "I'm always sure when it comes to you." She responded with such certainty and fervor that Mako could do nothing but believe her.

* * *

In the afterglow, they laid together, gasping for breath. Mako covered Korra with the blankets as he pulled her close, resting her head on his shoulder to use as a pillow. Sleep invited her and she acquiesced, descending swiftly into her dreams. He, instead, stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Mako never believed he could look at the Pro-bending Arena the same way, see the building that used to be his home as anything except the place where Amon had hurt Korra. But as he watched her peacefully sleeping, chest rising and falling, hand resting on the ground, he felt whole, something he hadn't encountered since he was a child. Something he didn't think he would experience again after the death of his parents.

Mako welcomed it. Embraced it. Thrived on it. And she was the reason for it.

"I love you, Korra." He kissed her lips lightly and closed his eyes, smiling since he knew that she would be with him when he opened them again.


End file.
